Coronavirus: Hotel Chocolat scraps dividend after £20m share placing April 2, 2020 Hotel Chocolat is the latest company to cancel its dividend in a bid to save cash during the coronavirus crisis. The high street chain said this morning that it has scrapped the proposed interim dividend, which was due to be paid to shareholders on 15 April, after raising an extra £20m through a share placing [...]
The impact of coronavirus on dividends April 2, 2020 As UK banks temporarily suspend all dividend payments, we discuss the effect coronavirus could have on a vital source of income for investors. What’s happening to dividends? The coronavirus crisis and oil price war are having a profound impact on economic growth and the cash position of companies. Many businesses in the most affected sectors [...]
Coronavirus: Pets at Home to beat profit expectations after surge in demand April 2, 2020 Pets at Home announced it expected full-year profit to beat previous expectations following an “exceptional” level of demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. The pet store, which has been classified as an essential retailer and is allowed to stay open during the government mandated lockdown – said in-store and online sales had increased as existing [...]
O2 cuts ties with Carphone Warehouse as retailer plots store closures April 1, 2020 O2 has cut commercial ties with Carphone Warehouse after the mobile operator refused to accept revamped terms for their partnership. The tie-up, which has been in place for two decades, saw Carphone Warehouse take a commission for its sales of O2 phone contracts in store and online. But the longstanding relationship came to an end [...]
High street prices fall at fastest pace in two years April 1, 2020 Prices on the British high street fell at their fastest pace in nearly two years, and the coronavirus outbreak will only add to price pressures, according to an industry body. Shop prices fell by 0.8 per cent in the first week of March, the biggest fall since May 2018, following a 0.6 per cent decline [...]
Laura Ashley’s administrators make 268 staff redundant and furlough 1,700 March 31, 2020 The administrators of Laura Ashley said today they had made 268 staff redundant and placed 1,669 on furlough. The staff being made redundant are drawn from across head office and back office functions. The administrators said they were in continued discussions with interested parties over a sale of the business. Rob Lewis and Zelf Hussain [...]
Coronavirus: Debenhams seeks landlord support for new restructuring plan March 31, 2020 Embattled department store Debenhams is reportedly in urgent talks over a further restructuring plan that could involve more store closures. The high street chain has ramped up discussions with landlords due to the coronavirus outbreak. Debenhams’ lenders, which took control of the retailer last year, are unwilling to provide further funding without landlords agreeing to [...]
What impact is Covid-19 having on global economies and markets? March 31, 2020 The impact of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continues to play out. The extent to which the virus will spread, both between and within countries remains unclear, and the duration and impact are highly uncertain. Sadly, the human impact continues to grow, and the virus has now claimed the lives of over 22,000 people, as [...]
Brits spent an extra £1.9bn in stockpiling spree before coronavirus lockdown March 31, 2020 Brits made over 79 million extra trips to supermarkets in the four weeks leading up to the coronavirus lockdown, as people rushed to stock up on groceries ahead of restrictions being introduced, according to industry data. The stockpiling drove a 20.5 per cent jump in supermarket sales up to 21 March, with customers spending an [...]
Arcadia cancels supplier orders amid coronavirus crisis March 30, 2020 Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia has cancelled all orders from its suppliers and extended its payment terms as it seeks to conserve cash during the coronavirus pandemic. Arcadia, which owns high street giants Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons, has written to its supply chain to say all orders have been cancelled and payment terms will be [...]